My running week (44)

Even though it’s unlikely that I’ll be running again this calendar year, I’m going to keep up with my weekly ‘running’ updates but instead of running related chat I’ll write about my recovery from injury and what other physical activity I’ve been doing.

Following on from my physio appointment and the good news that full recovery, while slow, is possible and approval to recommence swimming and some gym use I was keen to get started although in an extremely cautious manner.

I’ve now been to the gym twice since my appointment, starting really slowly on the static bike on the lowest resistance setting, so slowly that the machine paused and asked if I wanted to resume my activity! I gradually increased speed once I was sure it wasn’t going to hurt and stopped at ten minutes, completing only 1km. I then did a slow and steady 1km on the rowing machine, again on lowest resistance and finished with a few upper body weights. All good and no adverse aches in my calf. I even enjoyed it, and it’s not often I say that about the gym.

Having been almost entirely inactive for the previous two and a half weeks I was happy to be doing something active once more. It was unexpected, but not surprising, that my thighs were quite achy later that day. Just from a very short session!

Gym trip two was a little more vigorous… again using the static bike and rowing machine on their lowest settings I managed almost 3km in ten minutes on the bike and did a faster paced 1km on the rowing machine. The gym that I’m a member of has a few sites across the county and they don’t all have the same apparatus, so at the smaller nearer gym I got to do some core strength work… without googling “gym equipment where you do leg raises, both legs simultaneously”, I have no idea what it’s called, but 2 sets of 10 leg raises and 1 set of 10 “it’s kind of like sit-ups but upside down” and my abdominals are aching nicely.

I’m looking forward to next week where I hope to go swimming twice and to the gym twice, as well as doing specific physio exercises. I’m still not that comfortable walking but my range is improving so I’ll keep taking short walks too.

oh and I’ve returned my crutches to the hospital with the thought that however slow and limping my walking, it’s still faster than crutches!

Enjoy your week and if you want to share your fitness goals in the comments please do!